Monthly Archives: July 2014

It is accepted that we make a living from the activities that we do. For some persons there is a period of study which then prepares them to matriculate into a job or career of their choice. Still for others it seems as if the career chooses them. Whatever the job is however, there are certain peculiarities that come with it depending on the working conditions. For the person who literally has to play with fire as an occupation….yep you guessed right…..for the Welder, the peculiarities of the job center around the need to always protect oneself from extremely hot temperatures. The welding jackets men and women who play with fire have to wear, perform this protective role. As a result of the need to ensure that the welder remains safe while executing his or her duties, an industry has developed for makers of personal protective equipment (PPE). The idea here is that in the protective work wear industry companies meticulously engineer and design clothing so that workers are shielded from high temperatures, usually well above one hundred degrees Celsius. After all, it is not unusual for sparks to shoot from a welding torch or welding equipment.

It is no surprise then that jackets worn by welders have some important features. Firstly, because there is the need to prevent burn injuries, special heat resistant chemicals are engineered into the clothing itself. This also means that laundry done on this type of clothing should not be intrusive to the materials making up the clothing for the obvious reason that the integrity and ability to protect the wearer would be compromised. Notwithstanding the mitigations built into ensuring the safety of hot work professionals, it is not impossible for accidents to occur. This brings us to another important feature which must be incorporated into their clothing design. If there is a flame on their clothing, the uniform fabric must not be conducive to supporting further combustion. With this in mind designers add chemicals which self extinguish provided the fire source can be removed from the immediate vicinity of the accident victim. In addition to making sure that these jackets provide reliable safety requirements, manufacturing and designing companies do have to bear in mind their target market. The persons needing to wear them require a reasonable level of comfort, dexterity and flexibility. Focus is therefore given to making them as comfortable to the wearer as possible considering they may have to be worn for an entire work shift. Although they are available in many different brands and varieties mostly dependent on style and material types, they also must meet industry standards such as those contained in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) act. This act in principle makes it mandatory for employers to keep their workplaces safe. So whether you choose welding or welding chooses you, you can rest assured that there are persons who make it their livelihood to assure your safety by providing work wear that is heat resistant, comfortable, sturdy, robust and you may even enjoy wearing them.

Welding is practiced by persons from all walks of life. Different types of welding are required based upon the reason for the welding .There is MIG welding where there is fusing of aluminum, stainless steel or mild steel; TIG welding which requires a more advanced finishing surface and therefore a greater level of expertise; arc welding, used to manufacture and repair metal equipment; and Oxy Acetylene welding which as the name suggests mixes oxygen and acetylene gas to generate very hot flames which can cut through steel. Regardless of the type of welding required there is the universal need to be protected from the hazards associated with this trade. One means of protecting the body is to wear a welding jacket, leather being the material of choice from which to make it because leather has been found to offer better protection than most other materials.

Given the premise that every welding format presents risks to the welder’s health, a look at the most common types of injuries to a welder reveals that burns resulting from sparks landing on the skin, as well as damage to the eyes from heat and light feature at the top of the list. Also common are injuries due to flying metal parts, fumes and gas leaks which result in explosions. This is not surprising since there is always exposure to sparks, hot metals, electric shock and harmful ultra violet and infra red radiation. This reinforces the need for the welding practitioner to wear safety glasses, safety shoes, gloves and a helmet. Indeed some training institutions actually highly recommend the wearing of an overall which covers most of the body parts.

By all means protective gear made from synthetic materials should be avoided because they melt on impact with splashes of flame and this can cause serious injuries. (Not so protective after all) Denim and leather are very heat resistant. One does have to consider the environmental conditions here though since it will be somewhat uncomfortable to wear a full denim jacket all day in a hot climate. Conversely if the weather is cooler or cold then full leather or denim suits would be desirable and would even provide warmth.

With the welder’s body being covered with an overall, one cannot forget the hands and feet. Depending on the type of welding being carried out there are different considerations for glove makeup. Precision TIG welding with its inherent need for dexterity requires a glove that should be made of sensitive, thin leather. MIG welding on the other hand where there may be more sparks flying, requires gloves made from thicker, less sensitive leather.

Foot protection should not be forgotten. Here the higher up the boots, the more protection offered. The guiding principle here is that one should strive for both foot safety as well as comfort. High top leather shoes and boots have proven to be among the best for this duty. Strict adherence to safety requirements will help to reduce the risks and hazards associated with welding.

The construction industry with its many components requires skilled personnel across a broad spectrum of disciplines. Tradesmen and women with varying degrees of knowledge and experience find that this industry constantly requires their involvement. This is to be expected since there will always be the need to build private, industrial and commercial solutions. A common denominator throughout this industry is the need for Welding expertise. Any discussion on the topic of welding however must naturally take a look at job safety due to the hazardous nature of the working environment. This has fuelled the growth of service providers in the personal safety niche. Hence there are specialized protective equipment such as helmets, face shields, gloves, boots and the rather attractive Miller Welding Jacket. In general all careers present with risks and hazards of varying degrees. Modern workplace ethics dictate that the safety of the worker is paramount and supersedes profit making in order of business priority. With the need for self preservation at the top of the list, welders, like all other professionals must seek sustainable methods to accomplish this goal. Welding, because of its hot abrasive temperament has its own intricate nuances. The welder must protect himself or herself from electric shock, damaging light, flying sparks, ultraviolet and infrared radiation, metal debris and burns to name a few of the risks and hazards. In doing this however one must strike a balance between the need to wear safety gear and the need to be as relaxed as possible while wearing such gear. After all, the components making up these safety gears can and do contribute to making wearing them uncomfortable. Remember also that they have to be worn full time on the job From the manufacturer’s standpoint then what would be necessary to assure both safety and comfort in welding jackets? Well, firstly the wearer loves a jacket that simply LOOKS GOOD! Next the jacket must be fit for purpose. “An awesome jacket for doing overhead welds because it protects the back of the neck” is a great place to start. It should also “breathe” well so that the temperature inside is bearable in hot climates and during summer months. This attempts to create a cool feeling in the context of the heat generated by the welding equipment. With all the special components built into the jacket to make it fire resistant….after all that, how about it being lightweight, easy to move in so that it does not weigh you down? All welders would go for that hands down. A jacket that holds up well after very heavy use and has the zipper closure in front and the snaps at the cuffs and the collar demonstrates that the designer truly has the interest of the wearer at heart. It’s great to have the peace of mind knowing that your work gear protects you, allows you the dexterity that your job requires, keeps you as comfortable as possible and can still actually look attractive!

In the daily requirement to exercise and maintain the highest levels of professionalism on the job, the contemporary worker also finds that he or she exists in an era where there are compelling distractions. The latest developments in social communications media with a plethora of smart phones and tablets may be the thing that comes readily to mind. Spare a thought though for the fact that many persons who wear uniforms while at work still want to look attractive and trendy while wearing such uniforms, be it a branded t-shirt, apron or complete overall. Take the Black Stallion Welding Jacket, for instance.

This sleek black and red jacket (there are other colors as well) is anything but drab and actually attempts to take your mind of its intended purpose by making a compelling fashion statement with its racing collar and red flames on the sleeves!

So yes, it is intended to protect the welder while on the job but would the wearer actually want the duties of his or her safety gear to merely stop there? With the acceptance that there may be no career or activity that is risk free, the users and producers of safety gear seek to strike the balance between gear fit for purpose and that which is acceptable to the end user. In the hot work industry this is even more crucial since the working environment is challenging and exposure to such environment can sometimes span hours.

Designing a welding jacket that extends in front of you to cover your clothing may be considered a basic requirement. How about dual pockets which are large enough to hold some welding tools? (Your jacket needs to be functional of course) For improved personalized fit, adjustable waist straps and cuffs are also desirable. The name of the game is comfortable protection. Keep the wearer safe from hot work hazards while making the working gear desirable due to its trendy looks. Isn’t it a really awesome feeling when you are able to attract an admirer thanks to your trend setting attire? Welders must really focus on the burning job at hand when sporting one of these jackets!

It is said that only the welder knows how to truly master the flame. Let’s not forget that fashion statement aside, the welder’s safety gear should assist greatly in actually keeping him safe. Manufacturers achieve this with the use of low combustion chemicals. Durability is another key factor. If you are able to machine wash your flame resistant cotton welding jacket then it is possible to extend its shelf life so that it may be worn many times over.

Where would the welder be without fire? By being able to circumvent the dangers associated with the use of fire a whole career is enabled. Controlled use of flame guarding equipment, covering the entire body and allowing for ease of movement and minimal discomfort is the key to the relationship being maintained between the welder and his or her fire.

As a welder, you will be confronted with many welders steel toe work boots in this world. Picking the right pair will make your life 100% easier. Let me help you make one of the toughest decisions before you start work. Ok, so lets get straight to the point. Are you looking for a pair of boots that will do more than protect your feet? It is vital to pick the pair that will last so long that the steel in the toe area never gets exposed!

I know you see others wearing steel toe boots where their steel in the toe section is exposed and everyone can see it. That maybe caused from age or the work conditions. Whatever it could be, you should know that every pair I had never did this. I done had steel toes for more than two years and the steel around my toes never got exposed.

It really depends on the conditions you are in that play a key role in how yours may turn out. Through all the conditions I went through, I did not have this issue. It could be because I took good care of my boots. So the front of mines looked ok. If you are having this issue I would recommend you check out my recommendation by clicking here to see the best welding steel toe boots.

The reason why I think Caterpillar Men’s Revolver Pull-On Steel Toe Boot are the best welding bootsaround is simple! They work! I am excited and thrilled to share my personal review with you because I had some just like them and they lasted for more than a year and a half before I actually saw some wear and tear. As a welder I saw many things that could of happened to my toes and they were some real threating stuff because I could of really messed my feet up.

I dropped many things from sheet metal to some really heavy stuff on the boots. If it wasn’t for the steel toe boots that I had on in the work place I would have to many toes missing. With these boots you get the protection you need for your feet. Not only that they were comfortable after I got used to them. Of course they are heavy when you first start off wearing them.

You would have to get used to them but it won’t take long before you do. The other advantages that these boot has are that they prevent you from slipping in oil or other hazardous material in the work place. I also like how they prevent your laces from catching a fire because they have a zipper instead of laces. I had a problem with laces from the start though.

My first pair of steel toe boots had laces. I thought it was pretty cool, but after time my laces would burn up because of the sparks. I soon would have to replace them was the thought and I really had too on one occasion. I soon made the switch to steel toe zipper boots and I was really happy I did because it no longer took me minutes to tie my boots. I was done zipping them in a flash! If you own a pair boots with laces, try switching up to a pair of zipper boots, you would be amazed at the difference. I also think that they look better as well.

All in all both are great boots. If you don’t wish to replace your strings every year, would recommend that you get a pair of these zipper boots. You will see te difference for yourself once you step foot in them. If you have and questions about these boots leave it in the comments below. I would love feedback as well.